Good Advice
by Sunset Miko
Summary: Kagome never seems to notice Sesshoumaru. In fact, she ignores him completely, which aggravates the young taiyoukai to no end. How can he make her see him? 6 Chapters written for the Wanted Challenge. Rated for language.
1. A Little Advice

**I do not own Inuyasha and I make no money from these stories. **

**This fic was written for the Wanted Challenge at Dokuga_Contest Livejournal. It consists of six chapters, but it may get a sequel at some point. **

**Chapter 1 - A Little Advice - (Partners in Crime - 1519)**

Sesshoumaru mentally snarled as he walked through the crowded hall. As usual, the slew of teens cleared a path while every pair of eyes followed his movements… every pair but hers. He watched in his peripheral vision as the girl next to her elbowed her in the ribs and he listened to their every word.

"Ouch! What?" she asked softly.

"Sesshoumaru!" the girl with long straight brown hair hissed in her ear, never taking her eyes off the demon.

"And?" Kagome said with disinterest before returning her attention to her task.

He failed to hold back the rumbling growl that escaped him as he saw the object of his attention toss her backpack over her shoulder, close her locker, and walk away. Her eyes fluttered past him as she turned and he knew that nothing had changed.

She never made an effort to look at him, unlike every other girl in the school. When she did glance his way it was as if he was just like everyone else, a feeling that he did not like one bit considering he was better than everyone else, incredibly so. Why didn't she know it? It was obvious to anyone with eyes! What was worse was when it seemed as if she didn't see him at all, as if he were invisible. Sesshoumaru was anything but invisible and he couldn't stand to be ignored!

To tell the truth, he wasn't sure why he cared. She was just another girl and he could have his pick of them. Why did it matter that she refused to acknowledge him? Why wouldn't she acknowledge him? Did the girl think she was somehow better than him? He never managed to spend his time figuring out why it bothered him so much. His thoughts always seemed to devolve into wondering what the hell was wrong with her in the first place. All he knew for sure was that he _needed_ to get her attention.

Sesshoumaru dropped his books, startling the other males seated around the table.

"What crawled up your ass?" Kouga asked with a laugh, ignoring the threatening snarl the taiyoukai sent in his direction.

"He's in a bad mood," Miroku said sagely, also ignoring Sesshoumaru's displeasure.

"Do not speak of that which you know nothing," the angry demon growled.

"But, my dear friend, I do know," Miroku replied with a grin.

"Well then, illuminate me, Monk."

"You find yourself attracted to a certain girl, one who does not appear to reciprocate the feeling."

The cafeteria was suddenly filled with the hooting, hollering laughter of Kouga and Inuyasha as Sesshoumaru gave them both the evil eye, cursing the fact that he could not in fact kill them with just a look, no matter how hard he tried. Miroku decided to put an end to it before the whole school came to find out what was so funny, smacking them both in the back of the head. Inuyasha yipped as he bit his tongue and Kouga snorted, trying to contain his continued amusement.

"So, you're not going to bother denying it?" Inu asked, his words a little slurred as he nursed his now pierced tongue.

"Fine," Sesshoumaru said while glaring at Miroku. "You are correct. Since you are so all-knowing, explain to this Sesshoumaru why she does not behave as all the other females."

"That's an easy one. Even I know that," Inuyasha interjected before Miroku could answer. "Kaggie's not like all the other girls. She's not gonna just sigh and faint if you glance at her."

The taiyoukai's eyes widened. Was he that transparent that the half-breed not only knew of his situation but who was the focus of his unreciprocated attention?

Kouga laughed at a much more normal volume this time. "You're that obvious," he answered the unspoken question. "At least to us. I don't think the general public is aware yet," he teased, "but they will be if you keep up the pouting and little temper tantrums."

Sesshoumaru snarled. "I cannot help it. The situation is infuriating! This Sesshoumaru must find a way to catch her eye, to draw her attention, but I do not know how or where to begin. I have never before had to pursue a female."

Inuyasha snickered. "Awww, how's it feel to be just like everyone else, to not have things handed to you on a diamond-encrusted platinum platter?"

"It would be unwise to continue, half-breed," the taiyoukai growled dangerously.

Miroku decided to interrupt before the hanyou became a rather messy piece of modern art when his half-brother used his intestines to decorate the cafeteria. "I have a suggestion, if you would like to hear it." Attention successfully diverted, the monk continued. "You have to find a way to spend time with her, to show her that you have interests similar to hers."

Sesshoumaru frowned. "And how exactly do you suggest I do so?"

"Easy. Join some of her activities. You know she's in theater, loves pottery class, and works on the school paper. Any of those would be a great way to get close to her."

"That is a ridiculous idea. This Sesshoumaru would not be caught dead in drama," he said with distaste, "and I have no interest in pottery or journalism. I doubt very much that she would notice me in a different location any more than she currently does."

"I thought you might say that," Miroku said with a devious grin, sliding a folded newspaper out from under his lunch tray. "Why not take a look at Kagome's advice column and see what she has to say about it."

The taiyoukai glared at the monk as he accepted the proffered paper. "You did not…"

"Oh, he did," Kouga chimed in.

Sesshoumaru's eyes moved quickly as he read the small printed words…

_Help! I'm totally crushing on the most beautiful chick and she doesn't know I'm alive! It's like I'm invisible and it's driving me mad. I want to ask her out but I can't, not when she so obviously ignores me. How can I get her to notice me and give me a chance?_

_Signed, Desperate Demon_

A very dangerous growl echoed around them, making Miroku question his tactics for just a second as his hair stood on end.

_Dear Desperate Demon,_

_If you want to get close to this special girl, you need to show her that you're the guy for her. Join some of her activities, show her that you have shared interests, and maybe she'll start seeing you in a new light. Be friendly rather than hitting on her. Give her a chance to get to know you and she'll be yours before you know it._

_Good Luck!_

_Kagome_

When Sesshoumaru looked up again, Miroku smiled. "What are the chances that she'd give the same advice if it wasn't the way to go?" The look in the demon's eyes told him he'd given in. Sesshoumaru stood and quickly gathered his things. "Where are you going?"

"This Sesshoumaru must see the guidance counselor about making a few adjustments to my schedule," he replied before disappearing.

Kouga looked at a smug Miroku and laughed. "You know, if this doesn't work, he's going to skin you alive."

Miroku swallowed nervously. "Yeah, I know, but you guys encouraged me to do it. If I go down, I'm taking you both down with me."

The guidance counselor gave the demon seated before her a strange look. "Are you sure you want to change classes now, right in the middle of the semester?"

Sesshoumaru nodded, irritated that the woman felt it necessary to question his decision.

"May I ask why?"

"No."

Her mouth hung open for a moment in shock before she managed to close it. Yes, she'd heard of this particular student's entitled attitude, but she'd never been witness to it before. "I'll need permission from a parent to make these changes, especially because of what you've chosen to drop in exchange for these electives."

"This Sesshoumaru already has the required number of credits to graduate. What classes I take now matters very little."

"Still…"

Sesshoumaru snarled and pulled his cell phone from his jeans, ignoring the counselor's protests. He dialed quickly and said just a few words before handing her the phone. "My Father would be happy to give the permission required."

She took the phone from him and stammered stupidly for a moment as she listened to the older taiyoukai berate her for causing his son to interrupt him during business hours for something so petty as classes. After a moment, she handed the phone back and nodded at Sesshoumaru. "I'll print out your new schedule for you. You need to return your books to the classes you will no longer be taking and you can start the new ones tomorrow. Your new teachers will be notified by morning."

"Why thank you," he said in a condescending tone, accepting the piece of paper offered by a shaking hand. Tomorrow he would start. Tomorrow he would begin to wiggle his way into her thoughts until he found his way into her heart.


	2. Not as Planned

**I do not own Inuyasha and I make no money from these stories. **

**Chapter 2 - Not as Planned - (Approach with Caution - 2078)**

Sesshoumaru's morning had been fairly normal, the first change being the last class before lunch. The room was in an area of the school he'd never ventured to before and like the idiot he suddenly felt like, he ended up being late. Walking into the room when everyone was already seated and the teacher talking was embarrassing but, little did he know, it was only going to get worse.

"Ah, you must be our transfer," the effeminate male said loudly. "I need to see your new schedule."

Sesshoumaru handed the paper over, his eyes scanning the room trying to spot her, his reason for being there. He ignored all the surprised whispers of everyone else in the room as he found Kagome, noticing that she was fully engrossed in what she was doing, once more oblivious to his presence.

"And do you have any pottery experience at all?"

"No," Sesshoumaru answered in a bored tone.

"Won't this be interesting then. Alright, I'm going to pair you with one of my more advanced students, who can help you with the basics and get you started on our current project." Both males watched as every single female students' hands shot up to volunteer, well, almost every. The teacher raised an amused eyebrow at his newest student before stepping over to his cluttered desk and running a finger down the class roster. "Kagome?" he called out.

"Yes, sir?" she answered, finally taking her attention off her clay.

"Would you mind helping your newest classmate get caught up on pottery basics so he can start working on the current assignment?"

"Of course," she said with a polite smile, only then noticing who the new student she was to work with actually was.

The room was filled with whines, groans, and muttered complaints, making the teacher grin, even more amused. "You can take the seat beside Kagome," he instructed, handing Sesshoumaru back his schedule.

As the taiyoukai made his way across the room to join her at her table, Kagome rolled her eyes at her noisy and jealous classmates before letting out a little sigh. "Won't this be fun?" she muttered sarcastically.

A frustrated taiyoukai plopped into his seat at his regular table and everyone looked at him in concern.

"How was pottery?" Miroku asked nervously. If his plan didn't work, he was going to be in some serious shit.

"I have learned several things this morning," he started, his tone revealing just how upset he was, even if his face didn't show it. "Kagome does not like me one bit. She has no patience when it comes to teaching me about pottery. Clay is not claw friendly. Most importantly, monk, you need to die."

Inuyasha snickered. "It couldn't have been that bad. Kagome's one of the best artists in this school. Why was she the one teaching you? Isn't that what teachers are paid for?"

"She was chosen to catch me up on the basics so that I could begin the current class project. She was not pleased."

"So what's the problem with claws and clay? I know other demons have taken pottery," Kouga chimed in.

"Perhaps, but every time I went to smooth down the clay that I had added to my bowl, my claws sliced right through it. Not only that, but the clay seems to have sucked all the moisture right out of my hands. The worst, however, is that the horrid substance is stuck under my claws and I cannot get it out. It is drying under there and it is extremely uncomfortable."

"Wow," Inuyasha said with a laugh. "I never thought I'd hear you whining."

Sesshoumaru snarled. "I am _not_ whining. Pottery is simply not for me. It is a bit late for that discovery, however, because I doubt I will be allowed to change classes again. I am stuck in that Kami-forsaken class until the end of the semester."

"I think you'll live. Just think about it this way," Miroku spoke up in the hopes of saving his ass. "She's going to be spending a lot of time with you if she's supposed to be helping you. All you have to do is make a good impression. Put forward a real effort to learn pottery, show an interest, especially in her project. Try and talk to her and most importantly, try not to come off as an arrogant, self-obsessed ass." The monk ducked just in time to avoid the bowl of peach gelatin that had just come sailing in his direction. "Temper, my friend. You must control yourself."

"I cannot believe I allowed you to talk me into this."

Sesshoumaru's next schedule change was the class right after lunch, Drama. If he'd been dreading pottery, then this was ten times worse. He was certain to be humiliated somehow while taking this course. He could imagine hundreds of ways for it to happen.

The taiyoukai managed to make it to the auditorium on time and showed his new schedule to the teacher to confirm he was in the right place. He was directed to sit anywhere and he had to fight down a frown when he found there were no open seats near the object of his attention. With a barely smothered growl, Sesshoumaru sat down as close to her as he could get. A book was tossed in his lap and he picked it up with great distain. 'Shakespeare,' he thought to himself. 'Delightful.'

"Alright, kids, we're going to pick up where we left off with our reading, page 46. Does everyone remember their parts?" A chorus of 'yes' filled the room and Sesshoumaru was forced to raise his hand.

"And me?" he asked, trying his best not to sound irritated or conceited, a very difficult task indeed.

"Ah, well, why don't you read Romeo for today and give Hojo a break."

The taiyoukai's eyes widened for a moment before heaving an internal sigh and nodding. From that moment on until the bell finally rang, Sesshoumaru was submitted to the horrible torture of looking like a fool. He couldn't get a hang of the awkward pronunciations and everything he said came out monotone. He was corrected more times in that one hour than he could ever remember happening before in his entire life. It was utterly humiliating and he could only pray that the teacher decided not to give him such a large part tomorrow.

He couldn't help but overhear as Kagome leaned in to whisper to her best friend Sango as they left the auditorium. "I guess he's not so perfect after all. Really, who can't read Shakespeare? Isn't he supposed to be smart? Gods, I wanted to scream 'Just sound it out!' like ten times over."

"Don't be so hard on him, Kagome," the brunette replied. "He's damn near perfect. Can't expect him to be flawless. I'm just glad he joined our class. It'll be so much more fun now!"

"How do you figure it'll be more fun? Listening to him was torture!"

"Maybe, but he's fun to look at."

Kagome sighed and rolled her eyes. "I don't know what you see in him, Sango."

Sesshoumaru was more than ready to back out of this plan, but it wasn't meant to be. He'd skipped his next class to drop in on the guidance counselor, but she told him no. No amount of discussion or threats to call his father made any difference. He was not going to be allowed to return his schedule to its original state one day after insisting it be changed . He was summarily told that he should have thought about it more before making such drastic alterations to his classes. Just as he'd suspected, he was screwed.

After his usual history class, it was time for the final of his new choices. He wondered if Kagome would notice that he'd suddenly decided to join all three of her electives. Would she guess that he was interested and doing it for her, to get close to her? He doubted it. She never gave him a second thought, sometimes not even a first, so he was sure she wouldn't even consider it an option. It seemed that he was nothing more than an annoyance to her, which was the exact opposite of what he was going for!

Journalism... How hard could it be to publish a high school newspaper? He'd never really taken the time to read the whole thing, but really... what did they do? Post the cafeteria menu for the week, list the results of any sporting events, and maybe a schedule of the coming ones. He knew Kagome had an advice column, but beyond that, he had no idea.

When he entered the room, it was buzzing with activity, even before the bell rang announcing the beginning of class. It took him several moments to locate the teacher and once he did, it took everything the taiyoukai had not to sigh aloud. Kagome sat at a desk with the teacher leaning over her to see the screen of her laptop. Now was his chance to be an annoyance once more. Just perfect.

Sesshoumaru approached the teacher and, after clearing his throat several times with no effect, finally had to tap the short, bald man on his shoulder.

"Oh! You're my new student, right? I was just telling Kagome about your transfer. I was thinking, since it's too late to really get you set up with your own column, that maybe you could help her with hers. A male perspective would really balance out the advice, don't you think?"

"If that is alright with her," Sesshoumaru said as politely as possible. The last thing he wanted was for Kagome to hate him for stealing her thunder.

"Yeah, it's fine. I think he's right. We'll each respond to the same question, but from our own perspective. It'll... be...great." Kagome's voice trailed off as she finally looked up from her screen to see who she would be working closely with for the rest of the semester. "The Gods hate me," she whispered to herself "Why me?"

The teacher, completely oblivious to the shift in Kagome's mood, smiled brightly. "Alright then. Why don't you pull up a chair," he paused and looked over the schedule in his hand one more time before handing it back, "Sesshoumaru, and jump right in."

The taiyoukai nodded and located an empty chair, rolling it next to hers and sitting rather stiffly. "Where should we begin?"

"How about with why the hell you're suddenly in three of my classes. You don't do electives, never have. What did you do that they made you switch mid-semester?"

"I changed courses of my own volition."

Her eyes narrowed at him in appraisal. "Why?"

He hated to have to lie to her, but he couldn't very well confess that he did it to get closer to her, in an attempt to make her finally notice him and possibly even like him. "I wanted a change, something more creative. This is my senior year and I decided that there were many things I had not yet experienced that I should try."

He watched carefully as the anger that showed on her face cooled somewhat. "Really?"

"Is that not an acceptable reason?"

Kagome shook her head. "No, it's... it's good. Electives are fun. It's just weird that you ended up in my classes all three times. Did you change into anything else too?"

"No," he said, thrilled that her cold tone seemed to be warming slightly. "Pottery, Drama, and Journalism."

The miko rolled her eyes. "That's just my kind of luck."

The hope that had been building inside of him collapsed with her words. Why had he thought this would work out? Even if it had been at her own suggestion, he should have known better. It seemed that the Gods were conspiring against him to ensure that she continued to hate him just as much as she always had.

"Here," she said while thrusting a stack of papers towards him. "These are some of the letters we have to choose from. Why don't you look through them and pick a few that you think you could answer."

Sesshoumaru accepted the papers with a nod. It was clear she no longer wanted to be speaking to him, so he would do as she asked and give her a reprieve. He could use one as well. His pride was smarting something awful.


	3. A Better Day

**I do not own Inuyasha and I make no money from these stories. **

**Chapter 3 - A Better Day - (Armed and Dangerous - 2306)**

The taiyoukai refused to talk to anyone after the final bell. Instead of hanging out like he usually would, he rushed straight home. He had research to do. The last thing he wanted was to look like a fool in front of Kagome. He kicked himself for not realizing it earlier. He had assumed that he would be good at everything he tried, that it would come to him easily, but that hadn't been the case at all. Apparently he wasn't as perfect as he'd always believed.

Sesshoumaru spent hours watching online videos about pottery, both on the basic and the more advanced techniques, until he felt confident that he could successfully make his bowl without ruining it over and over again. Maybe if he made less mistakes, she would be less frustrated with him.

He then listened to audio clips of 'Romeo and Juliet', following along in his book so that he could begin to grasp the strange pronunciations as well as the flow of the words. He focused especially on the section he assumed they would be reading tomorrow, not stopping until he could read through the entire act while barely glancing at the text. He had always been told that his voice could make any woman melt. Maybe hearing him reading such a romantic piece properly would cause her to see him differently.

Lastly, he was up until the wee hours of the morning learning everything he could about the process of publishing a school paper. He read every digital edition of the paper that was online from the last two years, paying especially close attention to anything written by Kagome. He discovered that she not only wrote the advice column, but also several feature articles. There was more to her than he had ever known. He spent at least two hours just reading various advice columns he found online, making notes to help him when it came time for him to write his own. Maybe if he did a good job, Kagome would find some worth in him.

He got very little sleep, but it didn't matter. He now felt armed with enough information to make a good impression on the girl he couldn't get off of his mind. He was ready to face his new classes once more and this time he was certain he wouldn't look like an idiot. Now he just had to make sure he didn't fall asleep in class.

By the time pottery class rolled around, Sesshoumaru was beginning to seriously feel the sleep deprivation, but he had put in far too much work to let it drag him down. He made it before the bell this time and immediately retrieved the mess he had made yesterday. Collecting a fresh chunk of clay, he sat down in his seat and quickly set to work trying to fix what he'd done so that he could move on successfully.

He scented her the second she entered the room but the taiyoukai did not look up from his work. He divided his focus, looking for all intents and purposes to be concentrating solely on his clay, while he listened to her greet other students and collect her own work-in-progress. She sat down beside him and his hands began to shake. Suddenly he questioned his abilities. Could a few hours of video instruction really make a difference to a girl who'd taken pottery for nearly two years?

Kagome looked over his work and had to fight down the desire to smile. It seemed as though what she'd attempted to show him yesterday had finally begun to sink in. He was using the pads of his fingers carefully, taking care to keep his claws away from the clay. Secretly pleased with his quick progress, the miko focused on her own work of art. When the teacher came in, he took attendance before leaving them to work, and they did so while the students around them chatted sedately.

Things were going wonderfully, at least as far as his bowl was concerned, but he didn't like the fact that she was still ignoring him. Deciding to change that, Sesshoumaru looked up from his work to study hers.

"Your project is very interesting," he said softly, hoping she would continue the conversation he was trying to initiate.

Kagome looked up in surprise. She had never in her life expected him to actually compliment something that wasn't in some way connected to himself. "Thanks," she replied reluctantly, awaiting the expected condescension. When it didn't come, she felt the need to fill the silence. "It's only about half done. It's supposed to be abstract, unusual, unique, but still functional. It's really just a vase for my mom." Her cheeks burned as they flushed pink and she cursed herself for blushing in his presence. She was not like the other girls! She would not worship him for his looks, status, and wealth. She would never allow herself to feel anything for the arrogant ass of a demon.

"I'm sure she will appreciate it. Have you thought about how you will glaze it?"

The miko's eyes widened and she turned to quickly appraise him. She hadn't said a thing to him yesterday about glazing. He had been having enough trouble grasping just the basics of rolling the clay and adding it to the existing base. She was sure it would have only gone in one ear and out the other.

"Ummm, I was thinking maybe blue. I'm going add embellishments before it's fired. Right now I'm just working on the shape."

"You are very skilled with clay," he complimented, fighting down a smirk as her blush darkened.

"Thank you," she whispered. "You... you should get back to work. You've got a lot of catching up to do."

Sesshoumaru nodded and returned the majority of his focus to his bowl, though he still watched her out of the corner of his eye. This class had gone much better than yesterday's. He could only hope the trend continued.

When Sesshoumaru reached their usual lunch table, everyone was surprised to see the smug smirk on his face. He sat and immediately downed his large cup of coffee, draining it in one long swig. Once he'd emptied it, he cracked open an energy drink and then took a bite of his sandwich, his good mood still obvious.

"I'm guessing pottery went well today," Miroku said sagely.

"Yeah, I heard all about it in the hall," Inuyasha chimed in. "You pissed her off good."

The taiyoukai's sandwich fell to his plate in shock. "I did what?"

"Pissed... Her... Off," Inuyasha repeated, enunciating every word.

"In what way did I anger her? I thought things went well."

The hanyou snorted. "I'm sure they did. She, however, didn't like the fact that you made her blush. She prides herself on being immune to you, ya know."

Sesshoumaru smirked once more as Kouga laughed. "She's gonna make this as hard as possible, ain't she? Even if she is attracted to you..."

"She would never admit it," Inuyasha finished for his friend. "You are in for a lot of work, Bro. You'll be lucky if she so much as looks at you for the rest of the day."

"While I believe that she may try to avoid me, she will find doing so rather difficult."

"Why is that?" Miroku asked, very interested.

Sesshoumaru merely shook his head and quickly finished his lunch, downing his energy drink and soon regretting it as his stomach gurgled in displeasure. Before he could stop it, a massive belch escaped him.

"Oh... my... God," Kagome said with a laugh as she continued walking past the guys' table. "Mr. Prim and Proper's lips just flapped!" The girls walking alongside her giggled and Sesshoumaru's forehead connected with the table, thankful that Miroku had slid his tray out of the way just in time.

All his confidence had been stripped away by one poorly timed belch, and Sesshoumaru slipped silently into the auditorium, hoping to be unnoticed. Hushed feminine whispers caught his attention and the taiyoukai found himself eavesdropping.

"Did you hear about what he did during lunch?" Kagome asked with muffled laughter.

"No," said Ayame while trying to hold down a squeal. Any new information about the God of an inu was appreciated.

"He burped the biggest burp I've ever heard!"

"No!" Toran growled. "Sesshoumaru would never be caught dead doing something so undignified."

"Except he did," Kikyo confirmed. "It was so gross!"

Kagome laughed. "It wasn't that bad. Hell, it was nice to know that he's not a complete tight-ass after all."

"How can you say that?" Ayame gasped.

"Because, he's a teenage boy. They burp, they fart, they screw with each other and are perpetually horny. I'm just surprised he managed to un-wedge the stick from his ass and be normal for a change."

She'd liked it? He let out the most disgusting sound that had ever escaped his body in public and that somehow endeared him to her? Well, hell, if a normal guy was what she was looking for, he could do that! Okay, he could try. He wasn't sure if he would succeed, but he would give it serious effort. Confidence returned, Sesshoumaru rose and went to speak with the Drama teacher before the bell rang. He wanted to make sure he got the chance to show off his newfound ability to read Shakespearean English.

Kagome was trying, she really was, but it was hard! He sounded so... so... sexy, reading Romeo's parts. He was good at it too! He had the pronunciation down and had even managed to work true feeling into his voice. She'd never heard him speak in anything but his dull, monotone that gave the impression he was bored with everything around him.

Every other girl in the class was affected. Some were sighing heavily, clearly falling deeper in love with the taiyoukai that had already owned their hearts. A few were letting out little sounds of pleasure and Kagome suspected that more than a few had fully saturated their panties, they were so turned on by his voice. A couple were just staring at him dreamily, even missing their cues when it was time for their character to speak.

The other guys in class were not amused. They had enough trouble with the rest of the school's female population, being drama geeks. How dare the most popular male in the entire school invade their turf and steal away the only girls they had even the slightest chance with? It wasn't fair and they were more than ready to drop a stage light on his silver-haired head.

When the bell rang, Kagome fled the room so quickly she almost knocked several other students down. She had to get away. She couldn't stay in his presence right now. He'd decimated several of her carefully constructed walls meant to keep him away from her heart. It was bad enough that she would have to sit beside him in Journalism. She would be forced to discuss letters and their possible responses with him and that voice... she would never be able to forget how he'd sounded just now. It would haunt her forever and no matter how he spoke, she would hear everything in that sexy tone.

Kagome was avoiding him and it was making him insane. He didn't even know if she had been impressed by his improvement in Drama. He'd done it all for her, and yet it was impossible to judge. She had remained completely stone-faced through the entire class, her eyes locked on some spot on the stage. He'd tried so hard to get into her good graces. Had he failed? Had he somehow upset her so that she wouldn't even sit beside him?

He looked once more at where she stood beside the teacher's desk, discussing several letters that she had selected as possible choices for her next advice column. Why was she talking to the teacher instead of him? He was supposed to be her partner on this! He'd done so much research last night so that he would be able to make insightful selections. He wanted her to see that he had depth, that he was capable of caring about others, so that she would see him in a different, more favorable light. Was it all a waste?

With a suppressed sigh, Sesshoumaru flipped through the pile of letters. He may as well pick a few of his own. Choices made, he settled in to make notes for each. He was on his fifth when the chair beside him moved. He looked up to find Kagome looking at him curiously.

"What are you doing?"

"What you asked me to do yesterday. I have read through the letters and picked a few that I think I may be able to give possible suggestions to and now I am making notes."

Kagome smiled at him and his heart fluttered in his chest. "Wow, you're really at the top of your game today, eh? Can I see which ones you picked?"

"Of course," he said, holding them out to her. He watched her face carefully as she skimmed through each letter and his notes in the margins, looking for any reaction. He found that she was difficult to read, her expression mostly unchanged. Once she'd finished, he couldn't help but ask. "What do you think?"

"You actually picked two of the same ones as I did. These two," she said, holding them out for him to see. "I like your notes. I think that your advice and mine, from such different perspectives, will give them good options to choose from. Now we just have to get them typed up. Deadline is end of class tomorrow, so we should get started."


	4. This Can't Be Happening

**I do not own Inuyasha and I make no money from these stories. **

**Chapter 4 - This Can't Be Happening - (Dead or Alive - 1969)**

"I don't know what to do, Inuyasha!" Kagome whined. "He's so... so different now, but I don't think I can trust it. What if he's faking it? What if he's just pretending to be this great guy?"

Inuyasha frowned, wrapping his arm around his best friend. "Why would he fake it? What sense does that make?"

"I'm the only girl who's never fallen all over themselves for him and I know it irritated him. Hell, I did it on purpose, made sure he knew that I wasn't impressed, that I didn't care what he looked like or how popular he was. What if he's trying to teach me a lesson? Trying to get in close, get what he wants, prove that no woman can resist him, and then dump me like a hot rock. I can't risk that. I don't even know if he's interested in me at all. It's just... he's always there, being so sweet and smart and helpful. But it's not him! He was never like this before."

"Really Kagome, how do you know? How do you know what he was like before? You ignored him, stayed as far away from him as possible. How can you be sure he really was this jerk you always made him out to be?"

"Tell me you're not on his side, Inu! You're my best friend!"

"And he's my brother. He's not a bad guy, Kagome. Yeah, he can be an ass, but he's not nearly as bad as you think. It's not his fault that all the girls like him. He didn't ask for that. He doesn't go out of his way to attract them, it just happens."

"Uh-huh. His jeans just happen to be that tight so everyone can see his nice ass. His shirts clinging to him like saran wrap is just a happy coincidence. Sure, I believe that."

"Did you just say Sesshoumaru has a nice ass?" Inuyasha asked with a grin. His brother would kill to be a fly on the wall during this conversation.

"Ugh! No! See, this is making me insane! I need to get away from him before I do something stupid."

"Something stupid like what?"

"Like throw myself at him! I always swore I wouldn't be caught dead with him, no matter what he said or did. Now I only feel really alive when he's around. He's going to be the death of me, Inu. I'm going to fall for him and he's going to break my heart."

"How can you be so sure he would hurt you?"

"Because he could have any girl in the whole school, as many as he wants whenever he wants. He would never settle for me and even if he did, he would never be faithful and he certainly wouldn't stick around for long."

Inuyasha sighed in frustration. "It's been weeks now, since he transferred into your classes. Has he even once given you the impression that he'd do any of that? No. He's never really dated because he doesn't want some girl that only wants him for his looks or because it would make her instantly popular. He doesn't want a gold-digger who's going to expect expensive gifts in exchange for her time. It's not really his fault he's arrogant. You try growing up like that, with everyone always telling you how wonderful you are. It would inflate your ego too."

"Of course you'd defend him. You're no help. I... I have to go. I have to find a way out of this. Maybe I'll see if I can change classes! That would fix things! If I wasn't forced to spend so much time with him, all these stupid, messed up feelings would disappear. I never felt like this before he transferred in. I've... I've got to go."

"Where are you going, Kagome? Classes start in ten minutes."

"Home. I can't deal with this right now."

"You can't skip just because you're confused, Kags."

"I have a headache. I'm gonna go to the nurse and see if she'll call my mom. She'll let me come home."

Inuyasha sighed but nodded. "Alright, but you realize that running away isn't the answer."

"I'm not running away!"

"Really? Because transferring out of your favorite classes to get away from Sesshoumaru because you're starting to like him sounds a hell of a lot like running away to me."

Kagome groaned. "Just... just leave me alone, Inuyasha. I can't. I just can't."

Inuyasha watched as his best friend walked away, heading towards the nurse's office. Once she was out of sight, he pulled out his cell and typed quickly before hitting send.

'Hey, we've got a problem, Sess. Meet me at the north entrance as soon as possible.'

Sesshoumaru rushed to where Inuyasha had said to meet up, worried. He couldn't think of anything else this could be about but Kagome. He'd thought things had been going so well! She talked to him, said 'hello' when they passed in the hall. He would classify her as a close friend now. They had shared stories about their pasts and their plans for the future. She told him about her problems. He'd made real progress and had been planning on taking it to the next level soon. He wanted to ask her on a date, but was afraid to do so too soon and ruin everything they'd been building towards.

Inuyasha came into sight and the look on his face had Sesshoumaru's stomach in knots. "What is it?" he asked gruffly.

"You've got her head all fucked up, man. She's so confused and she's thinking about changing classes so she can get away from you."

"Get away from me? But I thought we were getting along. I thought she might even consider me a friend."

"Yeah, the problem is she's starting to like you as more than a friend and it's freaking her out. She thinks you're faking, that you are only out to prove that she's like all the other girls and can't resist you. Kagome's afraid you're going to make a fool out of her and break her heart."

"I would never do such a thing!" Sesshoumaru snarled in frustration.

"You gotta admit, you've changed an awful lot since you transferred into her classes. I'm not surprised she thinks you're just pretending to be someone she would like."

The taiyoukai allowed a sigh to escape him, running his fingers through his long hair. "But I haven't. I didn't change for her. I switched classes to be close to her. I did all that research to impress her, yes, but I've really come to enjoy all the electives. I like creating things in Pottery. Drama is a new way for me to express myself. I am even planning on auditioning for the play that is coming up. In Journalism, I just got approval from the editor to write my first independent article.

"I will admit that, at first, I most likely only wanted her because she didn't want me, but that has changed. I have learned so much about her in the last few weeks. She's shown me so many new things, has changed my entire outlook on life. I would never hurt her. I... I think I'm falling in love with her."

Inuyasha's eyes widened in shock at his brother's confession. He'd never expected to hear those words from Sesshoumaru, any of them. The fact that the taiyoukai was actually enjoying activities that he at one time had mocked was surprising, but his declaration of love, even just the first stirrings of it, was nearly unbelievable.

"You're serious?" the hanyou asked.

"Of course I am. I do not make a habit of lying, especially not about something so important. Kagome means everything to me and I cannot lose this chance. I have been trying to find the right time to ask her out for a while now. She can't transfer out. Then I will never get to see her! There has to be some way to fix this, some way to make her realize that I am being completely honest."

"I don't know, dude. She's never trusted you. Now you're acting so different. It's no wonder she's suspicious."

"Where is she now? She hasn't gone to see the guidance counselor already, has she?"

"No, she went to the nurse. She said she had a headache and wanted to go home. Besides, I'm pretty sure it's too late in the semester for her to transfer out. She'd get incompletes and then she wouldn't be able to graduate in time. Not everyone has six extra credits because they're an obnoxious overachiever."

Sesshoumaru growled dangerously at his sibling. "Now is not the time to trifle with me, Inuyasha. This is serious."

"Alright," Inuyasha said with a laugh, raising his hands in surrender. "Maybe Miroku will have some ideas. This is his mess to begin with."

"Okay, so let me get this straight," Miroku said, trying to make sense of all the information he'd just been given. "She is starting to like you."

"Yes! Way to go, man. I knew you could do it," Kouga, who had just sat down and thus missed the previous conversation, congratulated loudly, only to be shot a glare by Inuyasha.

"But she is afraid of her feelings because she believes you are pretending to be someone you are not."

"Oh, that sucks!" Kouga was smacked on the back of the head by Miroku who was quickly growing tired of his interruptions.

"Well, I can see where she's coming from. You have been behaving quite differently lately."

"Yes, but I am not faking. I have not changed for her but because of her."

Kouga, ignoring his previous reprimands, interjected again. "You have seemed different. You've been less angry, seem less stressed. Hell, you actually seem happy."

Sesshoumaru nodded. "I am, and it is all because of her. If I had not changed classes to get closer to her, I would never have experienced everything that I have. I have learned so much about myself in the last few weeks, discoveries I would have not otherwise made. I have her to thank for my current happiness, but how can I explain that to her?"

"I don't know how you could without telling her why you transferred in the first place, and I don't think she would appreciate that bit of information."

"No, she would not. I freely admit that in the beginning, I more than likely wanted her only because she didn't want me, but that has changed. I have gotten to know her and now I am attracted to who she is, not by a desire to make her want me."

Kouga frowned. "Yeah, she can never hear that, at least not for a very long time."

"Maybe not until after you're mated," Inuyasha said with a laugh. He'd meant it as a joke, but when Sesshoumaru did not immediately protest, they all looked at him in shock. "Are you serious?"

The taiyoukai smiled. "She would be the perfect mate, but we have a long way to go before we get there, the first step being getting her to admit she likes me and to give me a chance."

"Well," Miroku said thoughtfully, "I have one idea."

"Spit it out then, monk!" Inuyasha growled.

"It worked once. Who's to say it won't work again."

Sesshoumaru's eyes widened slightly as he considered the suggestion. "That just may work, indeed."

At that, all four males leaned in closer to the table and began plotting. This was very likely Sesshoumaru's only chance, so they had to make it work, not only for him, but for them as well. If Kagome rejected him, the taiyoukai would take his anger out on everyone else and no one wanted that.


	5. The Plan

**I do not own Inuyasha and I make no money from these stories. **

**Chapter 5 - The Plan - (Last Stand - 1677)**

When Sesshoumaru arrived at pottery class the next day, he was relieved to see Kagome, though she didn't look too happy to be there. His heart clenched in his chest. He did this to her. It was his fault she was so confused, so uncertain. Everything that had happened was because of his own selfish desire to make her want him and now he felt guilty, though not enough to give her up. He'd never felt this way about anyone and he couldn't have stopped if he wanted to.

The taiyoukai walked up to the table he shared with the miko and decided to distract her from her obviously troublesome thoughts. "Kagome? Would you like to accompany me to collect our projects?"

The miko smiled brightly. She'd forgotten that their creations had been fired and were supposed to be ready today! Kagome nodded and rose, showing Sesshoumaru to the table where everyone's things were laid out. She picked up her vase and inspected it for any damage before grinning. It came out perfectly! She glanced at the male by her side and couldn't help but giggle.

"There's only one bowl on the table, Sesshoumaru. It has to be yours."

His brow furrowed in confusion and Kagome couldn't help but notice how adorable he looked in that instant. "It is not possible. It is far too small."

Kagome picked it up and showed him his initials carved in the bottom. "I promise you, it's yours. Remember, I told you it was going to shrink a lot, that you should have made it bigger." He accepted it from her and studied it closely, as if looking for some proof that it wasn't his work. "Don't feel too bad. The first thing I made in pottery was supposed to be a tea cup for my grandfather. It's so small, he couldn't even use it as a shot glass."

He chuckled and the sound sent a shiver down the miko's spine as the hair on the back of her neck stood on end. He needed to make that sound more often! Or maybe not. It was a dangerous sound that had her on the verge of melting and giving up all efforts to hide her growing feelings.

"Shall we pick our glazes now?" he asked, snapping her out of the daze his laugh had put her in.

She nodded and they both set their projects on their work table. Kagome then showed him to where the glazes were kept and they made their selections. Once they were seated, she gave him a quick rundown of glazing procedure, how to do it without leaving fingerprints or getting it all over his hands. They worked in silence for a few minutes before Kagome spoke.

"So, besides it being smaller than you planned, what do you think of it?" she asked, honestly curious.

Sesshoumaru studied his creation from all sides before nodding. "I still like it. I have never made something with my own two hands before."

"And?"

"I quite enjoyed it," he confessed.

"So, what are you going to do with it?"

"Hnn," he murmured as he thought. "It was supposed to be a cereal bowl, but now, perhaps maybe a place to put pocket change."

Kagome couldn't help but laugh, the sound going right to his heart, making it thump harder in his chest. "Sounds like a plan, and maybe next time you'll listen when I tell you it needs to be bigger."

"Maybe."

As soon as Sesshoumaru sat down for lunch, Kouga slid a piece of paper across the table. "I had my sister copy it for me. I figured more feminine handwriting couldn't hurt."

The taiyoukai nodded, examining the letter he now held. "Hopefully this will do the trick."

Kagome watched in barely veiled awe as Sesshoumaru auditioned for a part in the upcoming play. She'd never imagined he would take it so far. Being in drama class was one thing. It hadn't necessarily damaged his reputation too badly, but actually being in a play... he was opening himself up to ridicule usually reserved for the hardcore drama geeks.

Suddenly, she was looking at everything a little differently. There was no way he would do something so drastic, that required such a large commitment of time and energy, just to trick her into liking him, would he? The worst part was he was good! Ever since his second class, when he'd recited 'Romeo and Juliet' like a pro, he'd only gotten better. She had never expected him to actually want to act, especially not in front of the whole school!

Maybe this wasn't all a setup. Maybe he really was in her classes because he wanted to be and not so that he could manipulate her into falling for him. It dawned on her then, just how self-absorbed she sounded, thinking that he would change his entire schedule just to get closer to her. She'd always thought he was the conceited one, but now she was embarrassed. How could she have ever thought she was important enough for him to have taken such drastic action? She was a fool.

The director would have to be a moron not to give him the part. Not only was he incredible, but his name alone would bring in the crowds. Ticket sales helped fund the drama department and with Sesshoumaru on stage, sales would go through the roof. She only hoped that if he did get the part, he wouldn't back down when the taunting began. Of course, maybe he would be immune. Half the student body adored him while the other half feared him. Maybe they wouldn't dare tease him, for fear of retribution.

The applause filling the auditorium was deafening and Kagome found herself clapping as well. He deserved it. His performance had been magnificent. He had even completely memorized his passage instead of relying on the script like everyone else.

Kagome swallowed hard. Her audition was tomorrow and she was nowhere near as prepared, even though she'd run lines with Inuyasha the night before. At least she wasn't competing against Sesshoumaru for a part. He was guaranteed the lead and the miko felt a little surge of jealousy for whatever girl got to play the female lead across from him.

By the time Sesshoumaru reached Journalism class, Kagome was fully focused on her keyboard, working on a feature article she'd just gotten approved. He walked past her desk, waiting to see if she would notice him before dropping a sheet of paper in their inbox. They would be picking letters to answer tomorrow. Today he had some research to do for his own article. He took his seat beside her, breathing in her sweet scent, and pulled out his own laptop to get to work.

"You should have seen him, Inu. He was amazing! There is no way he's not getting the lead. I'm just surprised he auditioned at all. I never pegged him for a drama geek."

"He's really into it. He spent all night last night reading that same fucking paragraph over and over until Dad made him go to his room," Inuyasha replied while rolling his eyes.

Kagome laughed. "Well, after that torture I guess I owe you a serious thanks for helping me rehearse again. I really wanna nail it tomorrow."

Inuyasha smirked wickedly. "Any special reason why? I see you've changed your mind about transferring out."

The miko smacked his arm playfully. "Actually, the counselor told me it was impossible this late in the semester without getting incompletes in both the class I'm leaving and the class I'm starting. Getting away from your brother is not worth not graduating with my friends."

"And the play? Are you sure it isn't because you want to play his love interest?"

Kagome growled rather well for a human and stomped on his foot. "No! It has nothing to do with him," she lied. She knew very well that it was a part of her desire to get a major role, but it wasn't the only reason. "This is going to be my last high school production. It would be nice to have a main role. You know, go out on top."

"Ouch, babe, that hurt!"

"Yeah, yeah. Stop messing with me and I'll stop hurting you."

Inuyasha laughed. "Not my fault you're falling for Sesshoumaru. Besides, you've never practiced this much before an audition and you always get a big part. That's why I think you're trying so hard, because you know all the other girls are going to bring their A games, hoping to act opposite him."

"Aww, screw them. They're all air heads anyway. I deserve the lead."

"Yes," he said with a smile, "and you're going to get it. And then..." he started, flipping through the script he'd skimmed last night. He found the page he was looking for and held it up for her examination. "Then you're going to have to kiss him."

Kagome's face flushed a brilliant red and she snatched the packet out of his hands. "Oh, crap. I forgot all about that. Maybe... maybe I shouldn't audition after all."

Inuyasha sighed and elbowed her playfully. "No, you have to, remember? This is your last high school production. It's not like kissing him would be torture, considering how you feel about him."

The miko's eye twitched and Inuyasha quickly leapt to the other side of the room. "You either need to shut up about your brother right now or get out. I am tired of listening to your mouth. I refuse to have feelings for him. I will stand my ground, stick to my ideals. I would never date such a pretentious jerk and kissing him might as well be torture, if only because it's going to make every girl in the school hate me!"

"Fine, fine, Kags, but at some point you're going to have to stop lying to yourself. I promise you, the last thing Sesshoumaru wants is to hurt you." When she shot him a vicious glare, he only sighed. "What page were we on again?"


	6. Worth the Effort

**I do not own Inuyasha and I make no money from these stories. **

This is the LAST chapter of this fic. I know it needs more and may get a sequel eventually, especially since I love high school fics so much.

**Chapter 6 - Worth the Effort - (Into the Sunset - 3377)**

Kagome and Sesshoumaru were once again working with clay while they waited for their last projects to be re-fired after glazing. The miko was explaining to him, much more patiently this time, exactly what needed to be done. By that indicator alone, the taiyoukai knew he'd made a great deal of progress. They'd been working side by side for a month now and she had certainly warmed up to him, but so long as she was fighting her feelings, no more progress could be made.

"So, are you ready for your audition today?" Sesshoumaru asked during a lull in her instructions.

"Yeah, I had Inu help me practice last night. I'm still nervous though. This will be my last play here and I really want it to be memorable."

"I would be happy to run lines with you any time."

She shot him a confused look for a moment before stammering her reply. "Inu... Inu's fine. He doesn't mind helping me."

"Yes, but we are in the same class and Inuyasha does not even take drama. Would it not make more sense to do it together?" He tried his damndest not to smirk at her as she blushed and looked away. That wouldn't help things in the slightest. He was trying so hard to find a new way to get closer to her and drama was perfect. He didn't doubt she would get a large role. If he could get her to agree to practicing lines together, then the amount of time they spent together could easily double and he would no longer have to suffer through the weekends without her.

"I... I don't know. We'll see if I even get a part."

"We both know you will," he said in a slightly deeper, seductive tone. "You have starred in every production the school has put on since you started taking drama."

Her eyes snapped to his face in surprise. "How... how do you know that?"

"I know you think very little of me, Kagome, but I was not averse to experiencing the arts before my transfer. I attended every single play and was impressed each time with your performance."

"I don't think badly of you, Sesshoumaru," she lied through her teeth. Guilt flooded her mind. Sure, she'd wanted him to know she wasn't interested in him, that he wasn't completely irresistible to the female population. She'd never intended to give him the impression that she hated him, though. She didn't believe in hating someone that she didn't even know and now that she'd gotten to know him, he wasn't really that bad of a guy, so long as he wasn't faking, that is.

"I do not blame you, Kagome. I know that I have a tendency to come off arrogant and condescending. I was rather shallow and even hateful at times. I suppose it is a product of my upbringing. My mother was always sure to make sure I knew how much better I was than everyone else and the student population never did much to dissuade from that."

"You don't have to explain yourself to me, Sesshoumaru," Kagome said softly, more than a little surprised by his confession.

"Perhaps not, but I wanted to anyway." He allowed the conversation to die down, sensing just how uncomfortable she was. He could only hope that she had actually heard him because he'd meant every word. He understood now that his worth was not measured by his parentage, his status and popularity, or his appearance. No, his worth was determined by what he could contribute to the world, by his actions and choices, and most importantly, by her.

He now desired nothing more than to be considered worthy in her eyes. Until he was, he was nothing, a nobody. He ached for her approval and would do whatever was necessary to get it, even if it meant giving up everything he owned and starting from scratch. Even if he had to surrender his image, to lose the adoration of every student in the school. Only her opinion mattered to him anymore.

"Welcome, everyone," the drama teacher said from the stage once the bell had rung announcing the start of class. "First, I'd like to announce that I have chosen our male lead, Sesshoumaru Taisho." The entire auditorium erupted in both cheers from the females and groans of annoyance from the males. Once they quieted down, he continued. "And since he's been selected, I thought it would be helpful to have him run lines with each girl who wants to audition, so I can see not only your acting ability, but the stage chemistry of each pair." Now several squeals echoed through the large room and the teacher rolled his eyes. "We'll be going alphabetically. Sesshoumaru, can you come up on stage for me?"

Sesshoumaru fought down the desire to sigh. There was only one girl he wanted to run lines with, but now he was stuck interacting with every girl in class. This would be unpleasant.

The last half hour had to have been the longest of his life, and Sesshoumaru spent the whole time cursing the fact that so many of the girls in class had last names that started with the first half of the alphabet. Each and every one of them used their audition as a reason to touch him, the bolder among them practically hanging off his body. He wanted nothing more than to rip them all to shreds, but he controlled his temper, knowing her time would come.

It had finally arrived, her turn, and he struggled to keep from twitching with his anxiousness as she climbed the stairs to the stage. Kagome stopped almost six feet away from him and immediately the teacher directed her to get closer. She took only a few more steps and when Sesshoumaru saw the annoyance on the teacher's face, he closed the distance between them. He could tell she was nervous, but when he spoke the first line, she followed immediately. She didn't need to look at the script she had rolled up into a tight tube and clutched tightly in one hand.

As the drama of the scene grew, he moved even closer, eventually putting his hand at the curve of her waist and pulling her against him. It was obvious she was uncomfortable with their proximity and his touch, but she still managed to finish the scene before quickly pulling away and heading back to her seat. Meanwhile the teacher/director applauded loudly. Sesshoumaru allowed himself to relax and went through the rest of the auditions on autopilot. She would get the part, he was sure of it. She would be his co-star, giving him a very good reason to spend more time with her.

By the time Journalism rolled around, Kagome had finally calmed down. The way he'd touched her had heated her blood in an entirely new way that she'd never experienced before. It felt so good, so right, and she hadn't been able to get the feeling out of her head for quite some time. She didn't like it. She wasn't supposed to be with him. She didn't _want_ to be with him, so why did she ache to feel that way again?

The miko sat at her desk, flipping through the newest set of letters for her advice column, the one she now shared with Sesshoumaru. She sighed heavily. No matter how much she wanted to, she just couldn't seem to get away from him. When she saw him walk through the door, her head dropped to the desk with a groan. She really didn't want to have to deal with him right now, but they had to work together to choose and then respond to a few letters.

"Are you alright?" Sesshoumaru asked, honest concern in his voice.

"I'm fine," she mumbled without picking up her head.

"If this is about your audition, I am sorry if I made you uncomfortable. You just seemed so nervous and since I knew you really wanted a large role, I thought maybe I could help you out. You did wonderfully, by the way. I expect you to get the female lead."

Kagome lifted her head and narrowed her eyes at him. "I didn't need your help, and it isn't nice to touch someone without their permission."

"Again, you have my deepest apologies."

The miko rolled her eyes and returned to flipping through the letters. Sesshoumaru eyed her nervously. He had been hoping to pull out a few selections to show her, including the one he'd added to the rest yesterday. Now he could only pray that she chose that one, because this was his last chance to get her to give him a shot, to take his changes at face value and maybe even agree to date him. No one had been able to think of any other ideas so, if this plan failed, he was screwed.

Kagome skimmed through each letter, setting a few aside, and once she'd finished she handed a pile to Sesshoumaru. "I think these ones are do-able. Why don't you pick three that you like and then we can get started."

The taiyoukai flipped through the small stack, mentally sighing in relief as he found the one he and his friends had written. He selected two more and then returned them to her. "Do you wish to write our responses together, or independently?" He already knew the answer, because she obviously wanted nothing to do with him at the moment, but he asked anyway.

"Let's just each write our own replies, okay?" Sesshoumaru nodded and accepted the first letter she handed to him, settling in to get to work.

The next morning, Sesshoumaru headed straight to the journalism classroom and snatched up a copy of the freshly printed paper. He flipped to the right page and his eyes quickly scanned her response to his secret letter. A wide smile showed on his face. This was perfect.

The time was quickly approaching to put the second half of their plan into motion and Sesshoumaru was anxious. Waiting for her to arrive for pottery was torture. Sitting through attendance in silence was a nightmare. Finally they were given the green light to get to work, and the taiyoukai jumped at the opportunity.

"Kagome," he said softly, hoping to get her attention. When she looked up at him, he smiled a genuine smile that took her breath away. "I was wondering if, perhaps, you would do me the honor of allowing me to take you to dinner tonight, maybe a movie as well." He watched as her eyes widened in shock. She dropped the tool she'd been using and it clattered as it bounced off the table, forgotten.

"You're seriously asking me out?" He hated the disbelief in her tone. Why was it so hard for her to accept that he was interested in her? He'd been putting in some serious flirting for quite a while now, and yet this still came as a surprise?

"Of course. So, do you accept?"

She looked like a deer caught in headlights and her mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water for several moments before replying. "I... I need some time to think about it. Can I tell you later?" Oh how she wanted to just tell him no, that she wouldn't be caught dead out on a date with him, but all her previous reasons to maintain her distance had crumbled and a part of her brain was screaming 'Yes!'. She didn't know what to do, how to proceed, and she knew she needed help.

"That is fine," he said with a nod. "I can wait."

Inuyasha yelped as Kagome snuck up behind him at his lunch table and tweaked an ear. "What the hell, Kags? You scared the crap out of me!"

She just gave him a look before jerking her head to one side, hoping he would understand that she wanted to talk to him elsewhere. He nodded and rose, following her out of the cafeteria, a folded paper sticking out of his back pocket.

"What's up? You look freaked out."

"I am freaked out!" she whispered harshly. "Your brother asked me out!"

"And? You know you like him. Why not give him a chance and go? Who knows, you might have fun."

"You know I can't do that! I can't like him. I just can't! What if everything about him is fake? What if it's all an act, leading up to a big scene where he announces to everyone that no woman can resist him?"

Inuyasha laughed. "Does this scene come with high production values too? Kagome, stop being so dramatic. Besides, don't you think you're being a bit of a hypocrite?"

"What? How?" she hissed angrily.

The hanyou pulled the paper from his back pocket and thrust it in her face. "Read your own advice, the second letter."

Kagome focused on her column, confused as to what this had to do with anything, and read.

_There's this guy that has always gotten on my nerves, but lately I've gotten to know him and he seems so different than I'd thought. I think I'm starting to fall for him and he's made it obvious he's interested in me too. But I'm afraid that it's all an act, that he's pretending to be who I'd want him to be so that I'll like him. How can I know if he's for real? Is it worth risking getting my heart broken?_

_Signed, Wary of Love_

_Dear Wary of Love, _

_Why do you suspect it's an act? Maybe you judged him without all the facts. Now that you've taken the time to get to know him, it makes sense that he isn't who you assumed. You should never judge a book by its cover. You never really know a person until you spend time with them and really try to learn about them. If you have feelings for him and he reciprocates the interest, I say go for it. Sure, you might get hurt but that's a risk in every relationship. Who knows? Maybe he's the perfect guy for you. It would be a shame to miss out on what could be a wonderful relationship because of fear._

_Give it a chance!_

_Kagome_

_Dear Wary of Love, _

_Have you considered that, in spending time with you, he has genuinely changed for the better? We are all changing all the time, influenced by internal and external factors. If you spend your life guarding your heart from all possible pain, you are guaranteed to end up alone, a heartache all its own. If he asks you out, I think that you should at least consider going. The more time you spend together, the more you will learn about each other. If you decide you don't really like him after all, no harm, no foul, but if you don't even try, you will never know. Do you really want to spend the rest of your life wondering what could have been?_

_Sesshoumaru_

Kagome scowled at her best friend. "What does this have to do with me?"

Inuyasha sighed and ran his hand through his hair in frustration. "Kagome, the letter writer has the exact same problem you do. She's afraid the guy she likes is pretending to be someone else. She's afraid he will break her heart. Think about it, Kags."

Silence dragged out between them for several minutes as Kagome did just that. She considered the letter and the advice she had given, wondering why the similarities hadn't jumped out at her immediately. Was she right? Should she give him a chance? That's what she'd told a stranger to do. Was that advice somehow good enough for the letter writer, but not for herself?

Sesshoumaru's response seemed to echo in her mind as well. It seemed possible, that spending time with her trying new things had changed him. He seemed so different, but at times he was exactly the same. She had always assumed terrible things about him, and just two days ago he'd confessed his faults so freely, faults that didn't seem nearly so obvious any more.

Who was she to judge him when she didn't even really know him, all because she was irritated by how all the girls in school threw themselves at him. It wasn't like he took advantage of that fact. He didn't jump from girl to girl, using her until he got bored and moved on to the next. The more she had gotten to know him, the more he seemed like a pretty good guy. So why was she still so afraid?

"Kagome, I promise you, he's not faking it and he has no intention of hurting you. He really likes you, really cares about you. Please, give him a chance so he can stop pouting about it," he finished with a chuckle. "You make him happy in a way I've never seen him before. I'm serious."

"But I'm scared, Inuyasha. What if it doesn't work? What if he finds out he doesn't like me after all? What if...?"

"Every couple has those same questions floating around them. Everyone feels that same fear. The difference is, not everyone tries to hide from it. Some people face it head on. He's scared too, Kagome. Anyone would be when starting a new relationship. Just... just give it a chance. Let him take you out and show you a good time. You won't regret it, and if you do, you can pull my ears all you want in retaliation."

Kagome couldn't help but laugh as she threw her arms around the hanyou's neck. "Okay, you're right. I can't spend my life hiding from possible pain. I really do like him a lot, so I guess it would be stupid to turn him down when I actually want to say yes."

"Exactly. So go tell him."

He watched as Kagome blushed and shook her head. "Not yet. I have to figure out how."

Inuyasha sighed and shook his head. "Whatever, Babe. Just do it soon, alright?"

"Okay, I will."

When Inuyasha returned to the lunch table, he was smiling, and he gave his older sibling a nod. The hanyou's smile spread quickly to the taiyoukai. From there it infected the monk and then the wolf as well. Finally, things were going right.

Sesshoumaru was nervous as he headed towards the auditorium, though he didn't really understand it. She was going to say yes, going to agree to go on a date with him. Why should he be worried then? Still, he couldn't shake the feeling. As he got closer, he noticed loud voices, and when the door to his next class came into sight, he knew why. The teacher had posted the cast list. Just a few moments of listening got him the information he wanted. Kagome had, in fact, gotten the female lead, just as he had suspected.

He pushed his way through the crowd of angry and jealous females and made his way to his usual seat. In an attempt to distract himself, Sesshoumaru pulled out his script and started reading through his favorite part again, the part when he would get to kiss Kagome onstage. He hoped, though, that he would have kissed her long before opening night, maybe even tonight if things went well.

The taiyoukai was startled out of his thoughts as someone plunked down in the seat beside him. His nose immediately told him it was the girl he was waiting for, and he looked up, locking eyes with her.

"Sesshoumaru," she said nervously, though a smile still showed on her lips. "If you still... I mean, if the offer is still good... I... damn."

"Kagome, have you decided if you would like to accompany me on a date this evening?" he asked, hoping to help her out while setting it up to hear the word he was looking for.

Her smile widened and she nodded. "Yes."

Unable to stop himself, Sesshoumaru leaned closer and brushed his lips across hers. It was quick and chaste, but sent a wave of tingles through each of them.

"Wow," Kagome whispered softly.

"Agreed."


End file.
